I wanted to comment and say you have a really informative website and I enjoy reading the blogs on here and your advice to people. I try to come here as much as I can and get advice with my hair loss situation.

My question is regarding thinning hair and transplants. When a surgeon places grafts into a thinning area, does he take into consideration there might be shock loss present and places more grafts into that area to fill it in, even though the patient is on propecia and lets say he’s 30 yrs of age? Or, does he expect the patient to come back for future surgeries to fill in the thinning area due to shock loss?

My other question is regarding working out and losing hair. I mostly run to stay in shape and stay away from the heavy lifting. I have read on this website, that working out with either weights or running doesn’t increase hair loss. However, I have read some comments from posters also on here that it has made them lose hair, and I have heard from other people at the gym where I live that they noticed hair loss while working out, without steroids of course, or while taking creatine (supplement). So, Which is the truth?

Thank you for helping me.

When transplanting hair into a young man (under 30 years old), shock hair loss should be at the top of the discussion points, particularly if the young man does not take finasteride. Of course, the same is true for patients older than 30. Where the cut off is for risk of shock hair loss without finasteride on board, I am not quite sure… but I know it happens even to a 40 year old and an occasional 50 year old. Being on finasteride, having a small number of grafts (no mega sessions), and not having any accelerated thinning definitely is a good indicator. In the end it is really about each patient on a case by case basis. There is no set rule. Thus relationship with a doctor is very important.

Transplanting into thinning hair follows the same rules as above, but there is not the introduction of mechanical shock into thinning, miniaturized hair, which is more susceptible for hair loss than normal hair that is not miniaturized.

As for exercise and heavy lifting, as long as you stay away from anabolic steroids, I do not believe there is risk with protein concoctions. Hair loss has been reported in rare cases while taking creatine, but I can’t say for sure if there is truth to it.

There is no medical connection between creating supplementation and DHT. You consume creatine with meat and can hardly avoid it. There is an obvious connection between steroids, pro hormones and testosterone boosters and already evident genetic hairloss. Working out and taking protein does not cause hair loss. There’s a massive amount of speculative and badly misinformed nonsense on bodybuilding forums.

@Paul Actually there is a definite connection between creatine supplementation and DHT levels.

A recent peer-reviewed study concluded that:

“Creatine supplementation may, in part, act through an increased rate of conversion of T to DHT. Further investigation is warranted as a result of the high frequency of individuals using creatine supplementation and the long-term safety of alterations in circulating androgen composition.”

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This site is intended to educate the public on hair loss topics based on personal experience and opinions from Dr. William Rassman and contributing physician editors. Information provided on BaldingBlog.com should not be used for the purpose of medical diagnosis or treatment.